Nice Package: (Praising The Outer Beauty: September 25, 2008)

These days, when so many of us get much of our music digitally, it’s easy to overlook interesting album artwork and innovative packaging. To commend musicians, artists and record labels that create a good reason to buy a hard copy, we’re spotlighting their work in this randomly recurring feature.

Can’t decide on whether to buy Stumptone’s latest on CD or vinyl? You don’t have to. For a mere $18, you can get both. Listen to the beautiful green and white marbled LP at home, and keep a copy of the CD in your car. The pressing, limited to 500, also includes screen-printed artwork from Nevada Hill.

What the front cover of The Black Angels’ latest lacks in readability, it more than makes up for in eye-catching color. In advertising, art directors tend to avoid the color vibration caused by adjacent bright hues. Not so here – in fact, it’s embossed to accentuate the effect. Despite the lack of black that would have been appropriate for the band’s sound (not to mention the band name), the psychedelic color scheme (designed by the band’s own Christian Bland) works. The CD includes a removable booklet with lyrics and Maya Boboia drawings.--Jesse Hughey